Abstract
BackgroundDamage occurs in the brain tissue in MS which appears normal on standard conventional imaging (normal appearing brain tissue). This slow, evolving damage can be monitored by nonconventional advanced MR imaging techniques. New techniques for the measurement of cortical thickness have been validated against histological analysis and manual measurements. The aim of our study was to study the role of MRI surface-based analysis and cortical thickness measurement in the evaluation of patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and to detect if there is localized rather than generalized cortical atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis patients and correlating these findings with clinical data.Results30 patients and 30 healthy control were included in this study and they were subjected to cortical thickness analysis using MRI. The patients in our study showed decreased thickness of the precentral, paracentral, postcentral, posterior cingulate cortices and mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres when compared with the normal control group. Statistical analysis was significant (P value < 0.05) for the precentral, paracentral, postcentral, posterior cingulate cortices and mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres. On the other hand, statistical analysis was not significant (P value > 0.05) for other cortices. There was a significant negative correlation between the precentral, paracentral, postcentral, posterior cingulate cortices and mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres and EDSS scores with correlation coefficients ranging from − 0.9878 to − 0.7977.ConclusionsMRI and post-processing segmentation analysis for cortical thickness is non-invasive imaging techniques that can increase the level of diagnostic confidence in diagnosis of MS patients and should be included as routine modality when evaluating patients with MS.
Highlights
Damage occurs in the brain tissue in Multiple sclerosis (MS) which appears normal on standard conventional imaging
Study design and population This prospective study was carried on 30 patients previously diagnosed with Relapsing remission relapse (RRMS) by clinical examinations and conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) according to modified McDonald’s criteria and referred to diagnostic radiology department from the neurology department throughout period extending from November 2017 to February or further MRI assessment. 30 healthy control (HC) subjects of both sexes were selected amongst relatives or caregivers of the studied patients with age and sex distribution similar to case group with no medical or neurological disorders
The study included 30 patients diagnosed with RRMS, and the age ranged between 20–35 years old with mean age of 27.54 years old
Summary
Damage occurs in the brain tissue in MS which appears normal on standard conventional imaging (normal appearing brain tissue) This slow, evolving damage can be monitored by nonconventional advanced MR imaging techniques. Traditional thinking has considered focal areas of white This focus on white matter demyelination rather than cortical pathology was initially compounded with the advent of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): conventional MRI techniques for imaging MS identify a majority. Baghdadi et al Egypt J Radiol Nucl Med (2022) 53:8 of focal white matter lesions but are very insensitive for the detection of cortical atrophy [5]. It is clear that damage occurs in the brain tissue which appears normal on standard conventional imaging (normal appearing brain tissue) This slow, evolving damage can be monitored by nonconventional advanced MR imaging techniques [9]. New techniques for the measurement of cortical thickness have been validated against histological analysis [10] and manual measurements [11]
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